BBQ spaghetti is a Memphis sub-specialty, and it is believed to have originated here under the restaurant'?s previous owners. This rich, meaty version, packed with pork, is as good as it gets. Larry Olmsted for USA TODAY

The scene: Ask half a dozen people in Memphis where to find the city's best barbecue and you may get half a dozen different answers, which typically include The Bar-B-Q Shop, along with Central BBQ and Cozy Corner, both of which I have written about in this column before. But ask 100 people and you are likely to hear these same names again and again – locals just love these institutions. The Bar-B-Q Shop has been here for a quarter century and its unique menu goes back further still to the original restaurant, Brady & Lils, which current owner Frank Vernon bought - recipes and all.

For a place popular with knowledgeable barbecue-loving locals, The Bar-B-Q Shop is very welcoming and eager to explain, making it a great first place to dine in Memphis, sort of Barbecue 101. They have a broad menu with many options and combos, great staff happy to talk about it, and a setting that is more neighborhood Irish Pub than dive BBQ joint, with heavy wooden booths and a few tables spread between two main rooms, one full of neon beer signs, the other decorated with framed photos of the city and local knickknacks.

The Bar-B-Shop spans a trio of adjacent storefronts clearly visible thanks to its large pig and neon signs, located in the middle of a commercial block in the Idlewild neighborhood just east of downtown, near Overton Park. It requires driving or a cab ride, but isn't far from downtown and has a large parking lot behind the restaurant. It gets a whopping 93% approval rating on Urbanspoon, 4.5 stars on Yelp, and 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, tying it for the highest rated barbecue in the city.

Reason to visit: St. Louis-cut ribs, barbecue spaghetti.

The food: I was in love with the Bar-B-Q Shop before the food ever came, thanks to the menu and service. When I asked the waiter what the best thing was, he didn't give that "everything here is good" line, but instead replied without hesitation, "Definitely the ribs – that's our specialty. Order them dry. The mild sauce is on the table and I'll bring you the hot. If you order them wet, they just pour some mild on it before it comes out." While the menu clearly states "ribs, wet or dry" the other meats are more confusing, as the pork shoulder comes chopped, pulled or sliced, and the barbecue beef brisket comes chopped or sliced. When my wife asked about the pork & beef combo, she was told, "Get the pork pulled and the beef sliced. I like the pork chopped on the sandwich because it goes better with the cole slaw, but pulled is better for the plate." And so on, with very helpful specific recommendations for the rest of our party.

This is one of the biggest menus you will ever see at a top barbecue restaurant. Beside the myriad choices of ribs (in three sizes), pork shoulder and brisket, there are rib tips (subject to availability and sadly out on my visit), BBQ bologna and BBQ spaghetti -- both things you are only likely to find in Memphis -- BBQ nachos, BBQ chicken, smoked turkey, sandwiches, platters and combos of all meats, and lots of sides (several included with meats). And then there is the Bar-B-Q Shop Special, a huge combo of ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, BBQ spaghetti, beans, slaw and Texas toast – definitely for sharing.

The highlights were definitely the ribs and the famous BBQ spaghetti. The ribs were meaty, with great pork flavor and the dry rub was perfect. They were just a tiny bit too tender, a sign of slight overcooking, but so tasty I'd still rate them excellent. Local legend has it that Brady Vincent, from whom the current owner bought Brady & Lils, was the man who invented the iconic Memphis dish of BBQ spaghetti, and while I haven't had it that much, this is the best I have tasted. Bar-B-Q-Shop's version is meaty with big chunks of pork in a sauce that is spicy but not overly so. The spaghetti itself is properly cooked – everywhere else in Memphis I've tried this dish it was bloated and soft from overcooking. If you have never had BBQ spaghetti, this is where you want to try it, and the Bar-B-Q Shop offers it as an add-on side to its main-course meats for just $3.95.

We tried the bologna just because you don't see this much. It was 100% beef, lean and fairly bland, more a vehicle for the sauce. The restaurant sells its popular sauces and dry rubs in supermarkets nationwide under the Dancing Pig label, and while the regular is quite good, the spicy is way too spicy. There were hot pepperoncini peppers with the bologna, and these were far milder than the sauce, which clouds the flavor of whatever you put it on. I quickly understood why they don't just put it on the table.

The pulled pork was good but not great, thick and chunky, with sauce on the side, a welcome change from the overly sauced version frequently found in Memphis. The weakest link, not surprisingly, was the beef brisket, something still hard to find done exceptionally outside of Texas and Kansas City. I found it a bit too dry and flavorless, especially compared to the delicious pork dishes. If I was going to the Bar-B-Q Shop alone, I would get a regular order of ribs and side of BBQ spaghetti, or to share, a slab of ribs and full order of BBQ spaghetti, the two standout dishes. All entrees are generous and come with sides and Texas toast. Prices are very reasonable, and no one leaves here hungry.

There are a wide range of desserts, from chocolate silk pie to Red Velvet cake, plus a nice assortment of very reasonably priced beers on tap, including local offerings.

What regulars say: "I'm having the ribs because I had pulled pork for lunch," said Tracy, a Memphis resident and friend of a friend in our dinner party.

Pilgrimage-worthy?: No, but great choice for Memphis barbecue novices or those eager to try BBQ spaghetti.

Larry Olmsted has been writing about food and travel for more than 15 years. An avid eater and cook, he has attended cooking classes in Italy, judged a BBQ contest and once dined with Julia Child. Follow him on Twitter, @TravelFoodGuy, and if there's a unique American eatery you think he should visit, send him an e-mail at travel@usatoday.com. Some of the venues reviewed by this column provided complimentary services.